Life in Perspective

For the past several weeks, I have spent the majority of my workweek staring through an eyepiece at a green fluorescent screen searching for 100 nanometer virus-like particles that are magnified 150,000 times their original size. For hours on end, I focus my entire attention on a grid of copper that is less than 1/10th the size of a dime. But, at the end of every day, I get to sprint up the five flights of stairs from the subbasement to the third floor where my regular lab resides, and there – with my heart rapidly pumping, I look over the library and past the palms that line the edge of campus to the peaks of South Mountain and the Estrellas. Beyond the mountains, a vast horizon is painted with the pinks, and oranges, and purples of an Arizona sunset. Beyond the illuminated backdrop lies an endless sky, fading out from the west to the east in a spectrum of blues and grays and the first twinkling stars of the twilight. From the tiniest particles of a cell to the infinite reaches of the night sky blanketing me on my ride home, I begin to get a feel for many perspectives on life.


My workday is not unlike our lives as a whole. We spend the majority of our lives focusing on one small aspect of our existence – our jobs, our appearance, our possessions, our bank accounts - without taking the time needed to sit back and just enjoy the immense pleasures of the things that are most important in our lives – our families, our friends, and our dreams. Fortunately, my family and friends allow me to put life in perspective. Over the past two months, my life has been turned around completely. I willingly traded in my stable, fairly stress-free life for a busy, stressed one filled with deadlines, tasks to be completed, money to be raised, and plans to be set in stone. My stress is self-induced – it is my choice. Others are not so lucky. With injuries, deaths in the family, and life-threatening illnesses, I know that some of the people in my life are facing hardships that they have not chosen. Even more than that, there are millions around the world who are facing hunger, war, HIV, poverty, and other adversities that are beyond their control. It really makes me rethink my own life. No matter the stress that I am facing at the moment, I know that there are others fighting much tougher battles than my own. The stories that I have been blessed to hear from so many incredible people have kept me inspired to continue fighting my own chosen fight. My own struggles seem tiny in perspective to the problems of others.

When I focus on the small details and deadlines, life can seem overwhelming, but looking at it from a broader perspective of making dreams come true and helping others makes it all worth it in the end. If, through our row, we can inspire others to keep going after their passions despite setbacks they might encounter, then the stress of raising money and publicity will be worth it. If, through my research, I can help defeat a disease that is destroying whole countries at a time, then the hundreds of failed experiments won’t matter.


The past week was full to the brim with everything from sponsorship to research fellowship applications, ordering freezedry for the trip to drying plants after infiltration, sweating in anticipation of the result of an analysis and sweating on the playing field at Diablo for an ultimate win (Come from Behind is third for Tuesday League... playoffs are next week, woohoo!) I have just over a week left here in Arizona before it's time to pack up, spend a few days with my family, and then head over to the Canary Islands for this epic adventure. Although it may seem near impossible at times, by never giving up and keeping things in perspective, I know that things will work out in the end.

That said... we are desperate for donations for our trip. For those of you reading this that don't know what I'm talking about, please read about us here and donate here. Thanks!